Sunday, September 20, 2015

Hierarchy


Don't buy the line that spiritually speaking there's no hierarchy. That's only true in the Ultimate sense. It's not true in the relative reality where humans and even angels roam. For where there's no hierarchy there's no variety either. Wherever you see variety, know that hierarchy has paid a visit and planted his seeds.
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2 comments:

  1. Face Book Comments, set # 1:

    Lorelai : Variety implies relativism - an iris is just as valuable as an orchid as a daisy as a rose. Hierarchy implies powers subject one to another, limited or permitted by a pre-defined structure. Variety is no proof of hierarchy.

    Choni : Of course it is. There must be levels of light for there to be variety. Otherwise, there's sweeping sameness. See the Ramchal's "138 Openings of Wisdom " on the topic of the "kav" and "reshimu".

    Lorelai : Variety is horizontal, what you're describing is vertical. Variety isn't "sweeping sameness", it's variation on a theme (like a thousand different species of fish - they're all FISH).
    Like · Reply · September 18 at 12:12am

    Choni : Yes but they all have different levels of consciousness or they'd be the same identical fish.

    Lorelai : I guess you're saying that "hierarchy" is vertical variety. But the word "variety" still implies no difference in value, power, influence, etc. A thousand different fishes are a thousand different varieties of fish, each with their own unique differences, still - all fish. Therefore none more fundamentally "fishy" than another.

    Choni : I think there is such a thing as a more fishy fish. The parallel levels that you see still have hierarchy implanted in them. Chesed is richer in kindness, but weaker in restraint. Correspondingly Gevurah is richer in restraint but weaker in kindness. It's the balancing that puts them on parallel levels. But hierarchy still plays a role in their differences.

    Lorelai : "More fishy fish" lol. Seriously.

    Lorelai : "Hierarchy" by the Sefirot is about functionality and relation to each other, not about power. But it occurs to me that I'm projecting notions of power, control and limitation into the word "hierarchy" which you may not intend. I own my possible erroneous assumption.

    Choni : Yes, everything is holographic and therefore, some entities can display a higher expression of qualities of their own kind than others.

    Choni : Yeah. I was not talking about power at all. Sorry if I inadvertently confused you.

    Lorelai : No, now that you say "holographic" I get it. It's multidimensional.

    Choni : Yes! smile emoticon

    Lorelai : One man's Keter is another man's Malchut. smile emoticon

    Choni : Yes! smile emoticon

    Choni : It's all pattern, not dogma.

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  2. Face Book comments, set # 2

    Shayna : Times they are a changing...

    Choni : I like the way you Shayna knew exactly which Kabbalistic topic I was referencing. Still, the fact that everyone is "uniquely precious" (a touch of variety) is an echo of the effects of the linear or hierarchical forces. Notice that the book never says that what's masculine goes away entirely. Quite the contrary, the relationship between what's cosmically male and female is better than ever, now that they are finally fully "face to face".

    Shayna : Not to mention the whole discussion from the perspective of souls and soul levels. Very interesting. So much to learn, so little time on this planet!

    Shayna : I think the challenge in this conversation is the same as every other kabbalistic topic: paradox. Variety, levels, hierarchy etc. exist but within an equality that does not neccessitate power or control. The equal part is hard for us to grasp and even harder to implement on this current plane of existence. Different but equal is touted but not practiced.

    Choni : All what you share is very true and insightful. I don't think that the world as we know it has the dimensional qualities to handle the nuances of the paradox. That's Tikkun, which is barely completed in Atzilut, let alone Assiyah. Still, at least in the part of ourselves which reflect Atzilut we can strive to respond to life from that place.

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